This dream bathroom has everything one can wish for an ideal bathroom escape. It doesn’t just look fabulous – it works well and it is built to stand the test of time. This bathroom was designed as a private oasis, a place to relax and unwind. Spa-like environment is created by expansive double-sink custom vanity, an elegant free standing tub, and a spacious two-person barrier-free shower with a floating bench. Toilet is concealed within a separate nook behind a pocket door. Main bathroom area is outlined by a tray ceiling perimeter. The room looks open, airy and spacious. Nothing interferes with the ceiling design and overall space configuration. It hasn’t always been that way. Former layout had serious pitfalls that made the room look much smaller. The shower concealed behind solid walls protruded into the main area clashing with the tray ceiling geometry. Massive shower stall took up significant amount of the room leaving no continuous wall space for a double sink vanity. There were two separate vanities with a dead corner space between them. At the same time, the toilet room was quite spacious with just one fixture in the far end. New layout not only looks better, it allows for a better functionality and fully reveals the space potential. The toilet was relocated to occupy the former linen closet space slightly expanded into adjacent walk-in closet. Shower was moved into the bigger alcove, away from the tray ceiling area. It opened up the room while giving space for a gorgeous wall-to-wall vanity. Having a full glass wall, the shower extends the space even further. Sparkling glass creates no barrier to the eyesight. The room feels clean, breezy and extra spacious. Gorgeous frameless shower enclosure with glass-to-glass clamps and hinges shows off premium tile designs of the accent shower wall. Free standing tub remained in its original place in front of the window. With no solid shower walls nearby, it became a focal point adorned with the new crystal chandelier above it. This two-tier gorgeous chandelier makes the bathroom feel incredibly grand. A touch of luxury is showing up in timeless polished chrome faucet finish selections as well. New expansive custom vanity has his and her full height linen towers, his and her sink cabinets with two individual banks of drawers on the sides and one shared drawer cabinet in the middle containing a charging station in the upper drawer. Vanity counter tops and floating shower seat top are made of high-end quartz. Vessel sinks resemble the shape and style of the free-standing tub. To make the room feel even more spacious and to showcase the shower area in the reflection, a full size mirror is installed over the vanity. Crystal sconces are installed directly into the mirror. Crisp classic white tile gives the room a timeless sense of polish and luxury. Walls around the perimeter of the entire bathroom are tiled half way. Three rows of 12”x 24” porcelain tile resembling white marble are crowned with a thin row of intricate glass tiles with marble accents, and a chair rail tile. Tile design flows into a spacious barrier-free two-person walk-in shower. Two more tile patterns of the same tile collection are brought into play. Rear wall is adorned with a picture frame made out of 12”x12” tiles laid at 45 degree angle within the same chair rail and glass tile border. Shower floor is made of small hexagon tiles for proper drainage. Shower area has two hidden from plain sight niches to contain shampoo bottles and toiletries. The rear side of the niches is made of glass mosaics for a waterfall effect. To showcase the picture frame inside the shower, the accent shower wall is washed with cascading light from a discrete LED strip tucked in a cove behind “floating” shower ceiling platform. Multiple shower heads (two ceiling-mount rain heads, one multi-functional wall mount shower head, and a handheld shower) are able to provide a fully customizable shower experience. Despite of many hard surfaces and shiny finishes, which can sometimes lead to a cold impersonal feeling, this bathroom is cozy and truly welcoming. This sense of warms is maintained by exclusive multi-functional layered lighting. Carefully designed groups of lights (all having a dimmer control) can be used simultaneously, in various combinations, or separately to create numerous different effects and perfect atmosphere for every mood and occasion. Some lights have smart controls and can be operated remotely. Amazing effect can be achieved by dimmable toe kick perimeter lighting. With the ceiling lights turned off, the vanity looks as if it is floating in the air. Multifaceted crystal fixtures produce cascades of sparkling rainbow reflections dancing around the room and creating an illusion of a starry sky. Programmable radiant heating floor offers additional warmth and comfort to the room. This bathroom is well suited for either a quick morning shower or a night in for ultimate relaxation with a champagne toast and a long soak in the freestanding tub.

This dream bathroom has everything one can wish for an ideal bathroom escape. It doesn’t just look fabulous – it works well and it is built to stand the test of time. This bathroom was designed as a private oasis, a place to relax and unwind. Spa-like environment is created by expansive double-sink custom vanity, an elegant free standing tub, and a spacious two-person barrier-free shower with a floating bench. Toilet is concealed within a separate nook behind a pocket door. Main bathroom area is outlined by a tray ceiling perimeter. The room looks open, airy and spacious. Nothing interferes with the ceiling design and overall space configuration. It hasn’t always been that way. Former layout had serious pitfalls that made the room look much smaller. The shower concealed behind solid walls protruded into the main area clashing with the tray ceiling geometry. Massive shower stall took up significant amount of the room leaving no continuous wall space for a double sink vanity. There were two separate vanities with a dead corner space between them. At the same time, the toilet room was quite spacious with just one fixture in the far end. New layout not only looks better, it allows for a better functionality and fully reveals the space potential. The toilet was relocated to occupy the former linen closet space slightly expanded into adjacent walk-in closet. Shower was moved into the bigger alcove, away from the tray ceiling area. It opened up the room while giving space for a gorgeous wall-to-wall vanity. Having a full glass wall, the shower extends the space even further. Sparkling glass creates no barrier to the eyesight. The room feels clean, breezy and extra spacious. Gorgeous frameless shower enclosure with glass-to-glass clamps and hinges shows off premium tile designs of the accent shower wall. Free standing tub remained in its original place in front of the window. With no solid shower walls nearby, it became a focal point adorned with the new crystal chandelier above it. This two-tier gorgeous chandelier makes the bathroom feel incredibly grand. A touch of luxury is showing up in timeless polished chrome faucet finish selections as well. New expansive custom vanity has his and her full height linen towers, his and her sink cabinets with two individual banks of drawers on the sides and one shared drawer cabinet in the middle containing a charging station in the upper drawer. Vanity counter tops and floating shower seat top are made of high-end quartz. Vessel sinks resemble the shape and style of the free-standing tub. To make the room feel even more spacious and to showcase the shower area in the reflection, a full size mirror is installed over the vanity. Crystal sconces are installed directly into the mirror. Crisp classic white tile gives the room a timeless sense of polish and luxury. Walls around the perimeter of the entire bathroom are tiled half way. Three rows of 12”x 24” porcelain tile resembling white marble are crowned with a thin row of intricate glass tiles with marble accents, and a chair rail tile. Tile design flows into a spacious barrier-free two-person walk-in shower. Two more tile patterns of the same tile collection are brought into play. Rear wall is adorned with a picture frame made out of 12”x12” tiles laid at 45 degree angle within the same chair rail and glass tile border. Shower floor is made of small hexagon tiles for proper drainage. Shower area has two hidden from plain sight niches to contain shampoo bottles and toiletries. The rear side of the niches is made of glass mosaics for a waterfall effect. To showcase the picture frame inside the shower, the accent shower wall is washed with cascading light from a discrete LED strip tucked in a cove behind “floating” shower ceiling platform. Multiple shower heads (two ceiling-mount rain heads, one multi-functional wall mount shower head, and a handheld shower) are able to provide a fully customizable shower experience. Despite of many hard surfaces and shiny finishes, which can sometimes lead to a cold impersonal feeling, this bathroom is cozy and truly welcoming. This sense of warms is maintained by exclusive multi-functional layered lighting. Carefully designed groups of lights (all having a dimmer control) can be used simultaneously, in various combinations, or separately to create numerous different effects and perfect atmosphere for every mood and occasion. Some lights have smart controls and can be operated remotely. Amazing effect can be achieved by dimmable toe kick perimeter lighting. With the ceiling lights turned off, the vanity looks as if it is floating in the air. Multifaceted crystal fixtures produce cascades of sparkling rainbow reflections dancing around the room and creating an illusion of a starry sky. Programmable radiant heating floor offers additional warmth and comfort to the room. This bathroom is well suited for either a quick morning shower or a night in for ultimate relaxation with a champagne toast and a long soak in the freestanding tub.

This dream bathroom has everything one can wish for an ideal bathroom escape. It doesn’t just look fabulous – it works well and it is built to stand the test of time. This bathroom was designed as a private oasis, a place to relax and unwind. Spa-like environment is created by expansive double-sink custom vanity, an elegant free standing tub, and a spacious two-person barrier-free shower with a floating bench. Toilet is concealed within a separate nook behind a pocket door. Main bathroom area is outlined by a tray ceiling perimeter. The room looks open, airy and spacious. Nothing interferes with the ceiling design and overall space configuration. It hasn’t always been that way. Former layout had serious pitfalls that made the room look much smaller. The shower concealed behind solid walls protruded into the main area clashing with the tray ceiling geometry. Massive shower stall took up significant amount of the room leaving no continuous wall space for a double sink vanity. There were two separate vanities with a dead corner space between them. At the same time, the toilet room was quite spacious with just one fixture in the far end. New layout not only looks better, it allows for a better functionality and fully reveals the space potential. The toilet was relocated to occupy the former linen closet space slightly expanded into adjacent walk-in closet. Shower was moved into the bigger alcove, away from the tray ceiling area. It opened up the room while giving space for a gorgeous wall-to-wall vanity. Having a full glass wall, the shower extends the space even further. Sparkling glass creates no barrier to the eyesight. The room feels clean, breezy and extra spacious. Gorgeous frameless shower enclosure with glass-to-glass clamps and hinges shows off premium tile designs of the accent shower wall. Free standing tub remained in its original place in front of the window. With no solid shower walls nearby, it became a focal point adorned with the new crystal chandelier above it. This two-tier gorgeous chandelier makes the bathroom feel incredibly grand. A touch of luxury is showing up in timeless polished chrome faucet finish selections as well. New expansive custom vanity has his and her full height linen towers, his and her sink cabinets with two individual banks of drawers on the sides and one shared drawer cabinet in the middle containing a charging station in the upper drawer. Vanity counter tops and floating shower seat top are made of high-end quartz. Vessel sinks resemble the shape and style of the free-standing tub. To make the room feel even more spacious and to showcase the shower area in the reflection, a full size mirror is installed over the vanity. Crystal sconces are installed directly into the mirror. Crisp classic white tile gives the room a timeless sense of polish and luxury. Walls around the perimeter of the entire bathroom are tiled half way. Three rows of 12”x 24” porcelain tile resembling white marble are crowned with a thin row of intricate glass tiles with marble accents, and a chair rail tile. Tile design flows into a spacious barrier-free two-person walk-in shower. Two more tile patterns of the same tile collection are brought into play. Rear wall is adorned with a picture frame made out of 12”x12” tiles laid at 45 degree angle within the same chair rail and glass tile border. Shower floor is made of small hexagon tiles for proper drainage. Shower area has two hidden from plain sight niches to contain shampoo bottles and toiletries. The rear side of the niches is made of glass mosaics for a waterfall effect. To showcase the picture frame inside the shower, the accent shower wall is washed with cascading light from a discrete LED strip tucked in a cove behind “floating” shower ceiling platform. Multiple shower heads (two ceiling-mount rain heads, one multi-functional wall mount shower head, and a handheld shower) are able to provide a fully customizable shower experience. Despite of many hard surfaces and shiny finishes, which can sometimes lead to a cold impersonal feeling, this bathroom is cozy and truly welcoming. This sense of warms is maintained by exclusive multi-functional layered lighting. Carefully designed groups of lights (all having a dimmer control) can be used simultaneously, in various combinations, or separately to create numerous different effects and perfect atmosphere for every mood and occasion. Some lights have smart controls and can be operated remotely. Amazing effect can be achieved by dimmable toe kick perimeter lighting. With the ceiling lights turned off, the vanity looks as if it is floating in the air. Multifaceted crystal fixtures produce cascades of sparkling rainbow reflections dancing around the room and creating an illusion of a starry sky. Programmable radiant heating floor offers additional warmth and comfort to the room. This bathroom is well suited for either a quick morning shower or a night in for ultimate relaxation with a champagne toast and a long soak in the freestanding tub.

This dream bathroom has everything one can wish for an ideal bathroom escape. It doesn’t just look fabulous – it works well and it is built to stand the test of time. This bathroom was designed as a private oasis, a place to relax and unwind. Spa-like environment is created by expansive double-sink custom vanity, an elegant free standing tub, and a spacious two-person barrier-free shower with a floating bench. Toilet is concealed within a separate nook behind a pocket door. Main bathroom area is outlined by a tray ceiling perimeter. The room looks open, airy and spacious. Nothing interferes with the ceiling design and overall space configuration. It hasn’t always been that way. Former layout had serious pitfalls that made the room look much smaller. The shower concealed behind solid walls protruded into the main area clashing with the tray ceiling geometry. Massive shower stall took up significant amount of the room leaving no continuous wall space for a double sink vanity. There were two separate vanities with a dead corner space between them. At the same time, the toilet room was quite spacious with just one fixture in the far end. New layout not only looks better, it allows for a better functionality and fully reveals the space potential. The toilet was relocated to occupy the former linen closet space slightly expanded into adjacent walk-in closet. Shower was moved into the bigger alcove, away from the tray ceiling area. It opened up the room while giving space for a gorgeous wall-to-wall vanity. Having a full glass wall, the shower extends the space even further. Sparkling glass creates no barrier to the eyesight. The room feels clean, breezy and extra spacious. Gorgeous frameless shower enclosure with glass-to-glass clamps and hinges shows off premium tile designs of the accent shower wall. Free standing tub remained in its original place in front of the window. With no solid shower walls nearby, it became a focal point adorned with the new crystal chandelier above it. This two-tier gorgeous chandelier makes the bathroom feel incredibly grand. A touch of luxury is showing up in timeless polished chrome faucet finish selections as well. New expansive custom vanity has his and her full height linen towers, his and her sink cabinets with two individual banks of drawers on the sides and one shared drawer cabinet in the middle containing a charging station in the upper drawer. Vanity counter tops and floating shower seat top are made of high-end quartz. Vessel sinks resemble the shape and style of the free-standing tub. To make the room feel even more spacious and to showcase the shower area in the reflection, a full size mirror is installed over the vanity. Crystal sconces are installed directly into the mirror. Crisp classic white tile gives the room a timeless sense of polish and luxury. Walls around the perimeter of the entire bathroom are tiled half way. Three rows of 12”x 24” porcelain tile resembling white marble are crowned with a thin row of intricate glass tiles with marble accents, and a chair rail tile. Tile design flows into a spacious barrier-free two-person walk-in shower. Two more tile patterns of the same tile collection are brought into play. Rear wall is adorned with a picture frame made out of 12”x12” tiles laid at 45 degree angle within the same chair rail and glass tile border. Shower floor is made of small hexagon tiles for proper drainage. Shower area has two hidden from plain sight niches to contain shampoo bottles and toiletries. The rear side of the niches is made of glass mosaics for a waterfall effect. To showcase the picture frame inside the shower, the accent shower wall is washed with cascading light from a discrete LED strip tucked in a cove behind “floating” shower ceiling platform. Multiple shower heads (two ceiling-mount rain heads, one multi-functional wall mount shower head, and a handheld shower) are able to provide a fully customizable shower experience. Despite of many hard surfaces and shiny finishes, which can sometimes lead to a cold impersonal feeling, this bathroom is cozy and truly welcoming. This sense of warms is maintained by exclusive multi-functional layered lighting. Carefully designed groups of lights (all having a dimmer control) can be used simultaneously, in various combinations, or separately to create numerous different effects and perfect atmosphere for every mood and occasion. Some lights have smart controls and can be operated remotely. Amazing effect can be achieved by dimmable toe kick perimeter lighting. With the ceiling lights turned off, the vanity looks as if it is floating in the air. Multifaceted crystal fixtures produce cascades of sparkling rainbow reflections dancing around the room and creating an illusion of a starry sky. Programmable radiant heating floor offers additional warmth and comfort to the room. This bathroom is well suited for either a quick morning shower or a night in for ultimate relaxation with a champagne toast and a long soak in the freestanding tub.

This dream bathroom has everything one can wish for an ideal bathroom escape. It doesn’t just look fabulous – it works well and it is built to stand the test of time. This bathroom was designed as a private oasis, a place to relax and unwind. Spa-like environment is created by expansive double-sink custom vanity, an elegant free standing tub, and a spacious two-person barrier-free shower with a floating bench. Toilet is concealed within a separate nook behind a pocket door. Main bathroom area is outlined by a tray ceiling perimeter. The room looks open, airy and spacious. Nothing interferes with the ceiling design and overall space configuration. It hasn’t always been that way. Former layout had serious pitfalls that made the room look much smaller. The shower concealed behind solid walls protruded into the main area clashing with the tray ceiling geometry. Massive shower stall took up significant amount of the room leaving no continuous wall space for a double sink vanity. There were two separate vanities with a dead corner space between them. At the same time, the toilet room was quite spacious with just one fixture in the far end. New layout not only looks better, it allows for a better functionality and fully reveals the space potential. The toilet was relocated to occupy the former linen closet space slightly expanded into adjacent walk-in closet. Shower was moved into the bigger alcove, away from the tray ceiling area. It opened up the room while giving space for a gorgeous wall-to-wall vanity. Having a full glass wall, the shower extends the space even further. Sparkling glass creates no barrier to the eyesight. The room feels clean, breezy and extra spacious. Gorgeous frameless shower enclosure with glass-to-glass clamps and hinges shows off premium tile designs of the accent shower wall. Free standing tub remained in its original place in front of the window. With no solid shower walls nearby, it became a focal point adorned with the new crystal chandelier above it. This two-tier gorgeous chandelier makes the bathroom feel incredibly grand. A touch of luxury is showing up in timeless polished chrome faucet finish selections as well. New expansive custom vanity has his and her full height linen towers, his and her sink cabinets with two individual banks of drawers on the sides and one shared drawer cabinet in the middle containing a charging station in the upper drawer. Vanity counter tops and floating shower seat top are made of high-end quartz. Vessel sinks resemble the shape and style of the free-standing tub. To make the room feel even more spacious and to showcase the shower area in the reflection, a full size mirror is installed over the vanity. Crystal sconces are installed directly into the mirror. Crisp classic white tile gives the room a timeless sense of polish and luxury. Walls around the perimeter of the entire bathroom are tiled half way. Three rows of 12”x 24” porcelain tile resembling white marble are crowned with a thin row of intricate glass tiles with marble accents, and a chair rail tile. Tile design flows into a spacious barrier-free two-person walk-in shower. Two more tile patterns of the same tile collection are brought into play. Rear wall is adorned with a picture frame made out of 12”x12” tiles laid at 45 degree angle within the same chair rail and glass tile border. Shower floor is made of small hexagon tiles for proper drainage. Shower area has two hidden from plain sight niches to contain shampoo bottles and toiletries. The rear side of the niches is made of glass mosaics for a waterfall effect. To showcase the picture frame inside the shower, the accent shower wall is washed with cascading light from a discrete LED strip tucked in a cove behind “floating” shower ceiling platform. Multiple shower heads (two ceiling-mount rain heads, one multi-functional wall mount shower head, and a handheld shower) are able to provide a fully customizable shower experience. Despite of many hard surfaces and shiny finishes, which can sometimes lead to a cold impersonal feeling, this bathroom is cozy and truly welcoming. This sense of warms is maintained by exclusive multi-functional layered lighting. Carefully designed groups of lights (all having a dimmer control) can be used simultaneously, in various combinations, or separately to create numerous different effects and perfect atmosphere for every mood and occasion. Some lights have smart controls and can be operated remotely. Amazing effect can be achieved by dimmable toe kick perimeter lighting. With the ceiling lights turned off, the vanity looks as if it is floating in the air. Multifaceted crystal fixtures produce cascades of sparkling rainbow reflections dancing around the room and creating an illusion of a starry sky. Programmable radiant heating floor offers additional warmth and comfort to the room. This bathroom is well suited for either a quick morning shower or a night in for ultimate relaxation with a champagne toast and a long soak in the freestanding tub.

This dream bathroom has everything one can wish for an ideal bathroom escape. It doesn’t just look fabulous – it works well and it is built to stand the test of time. This bathroom was designed as a private oasis, a place to relax and unwind. Spa-like environment is created by expansive double-sink custom vanity, an elegant free standing tub, and a spacious two-person barrier-free shower with a floating bench. Toilet is concealed within a separate nook behind a pocket door. Main bathroom area is outlined by a tray ceiling perimeter. The room looks open, airy and spacious. Nothing interferes with the ceiling design and overall space configuration. It hasn’t always been that way. Former layout had serious pitfalls that made the room look much smaller. The shower concealed behind solid walls protruded into the main area clashing with the tray ceiling geometry. Massive shower stall took up significant amount of the room leaving no continuous wall space for a double sink vanity. There were two separate vanities with a dead corner space between them. At the same time, the toilet room was quite spacious with just one fixture in the far end. New layout not only looks better, it allows for a better functionality and fully reveals the space potential. The toilet was relocated to occupy the former linen closet space slightly expanded into adjacent walk-in closet. Shower was moved into the bigger alcove, away from the tray ceiling area. It opened up the room while giving space for a gorgeous wall-to-wall vanity. Having a full glass wall, the shower extends the space even further. Sparkling glass creates no barrier to the eyesight. The room feels clean, breezy and extra spacious. Gorgeous frame-less shower enclosure with glass-to-glass clamps and hinges shows off premium tile designs of the accent shower wall. Free standing tub remained in its original place in front of the window. With no solid shower walls nearby, it became a focal point adorned with the new crystal chandelier above it. This two-tier gorgeous chandelier makes the bathroom feel incredibly grand. A touch of luxury is showing up in timeless polished chrome faucet finish selections as well. New expansive custom vanity has his and her full height linen towers, his and her sink cabinets with two individual banks of drawers on the sides and one shared drawer cabinet in the middle containing a charging station in the upper drawer. Vanity counter tops and floating shower seat top are made of high-end quartz. Vessel sinks resemble the shape and style of the free-standing tub. To make the room feel even more spacious and to showcase the shower area in the reflection, a full size mirror is installed over the vanity. Crystal sconces are installed directly into the mirror. Crisp classic white tile gives the room a timeless sense of polish and luxury. Walls around the perimeter of the entire bathroom are tiled half way. Three rows of 12”x 24” porcelain tile resembling white marble are crowned with a thin row of intricate glass tiles with marble accents, and a chair rail tile. Tile design flows into a spacious barrier-free two-person walk-in shower. Two more tile patterns of the same tile collection are brought into play. Rear wall is adorned with a picture frame made out of 12”x12” tiles laid at 45 degree angle within the same chair rail and glass tile border. Shower floor is made of small hexagon tiles for proper drainage. Shower area has two hidden from plain sight niches to contain shampoo bottles and toiletries. The rear side of the niches is made of glass mosaics for a waterfall effect. To showcase the picture frame inside the shower, the accent shower wall is washed with cascading light from a discrete LED strip tucked in a cove behind “floating” shower ceiling platform. Multiple shower heads (two ceiling-mount rain heads, one multi-functional wall mount shower head, and a handheld shower) are able to provide a fully customizable shower experience. Despite of many hard surfaces and shiny finishes, which can sometimes lead to a cold impersonal feeling, this bathroom is cozy and truly welcoming. This sense of warms is maintained by exclusive multi-functional layered lighting. Carefully designed groups of lights (all having a dimmer control) can be used simultaneously, in various combinations, or separately to create numerous different effects and perfect atmosphere for every mood and occasion. Some lights have smart controls and can be operated remotely. Amazing effect can be achieved by dimmable toe kick perimeter lighting. With the ceiling lights turned off, the vanity looks as if it is floating in the air. Multifaceted crystal fixtures produce cascades of sparkling rainbow reflections dancing around the room and creating an illusion of a starry sky. Programmable radiant heating floor offers additional warmth and comfort to the room. This bathroom is well suited for either a quick morning shower or a night in for ultimate relaxation with a champagne toast and a long soak in the freestanding tub.

Architect: Peter Becker General Contractor: Allen Construction Photographer: Ciro Coelho
Example of a large tuscan white two-story stucco gable roof design in Santa Barbara

Example of a 1960s deck design in San Francisco

Jalapeño grown organically in a 7-gallon Smart Pot. This plant produced 69 jalapeños! Photo by Steve Masley
Example of an eclectic home design design in San Francisco

Art Gray
Small trendy master concrete floor and gray floor bedroom photo in Los Angeles with gray walls and no fireplace

Royal Lion
Inspiration for a cottage medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Other with white walls and a standard fireplace

Contemporary heather green concrete ramp style sink
Inspiration for a small contemporary bathroom remodel in Portland with an integrated sink

When friends heard that we were planning to build a new home (especially at our time in life) we were regaled with stories of frustration, mistakes, and financial complications. We were convinced it was right to build a small efficient home, so the stories were dismissed with the conviction that we would find the RIGHT general contractor to avoid the pitfalls of home construction. Our decision to use Todd Swanson and Bio-Hab Inc. reflected our desire to use natural, energy efficient materials and systems, to stay small, and to work with a contractor expressing honesty, open-ness, and common sense. We also welcomed his artistic talent in designing and finish work using natural materials -earth plaster,earth floors, wood exteriors and more. We began by working with a designer and Todd in our house design. Todd collaborated with the designer to not only make the design more beautiful and functional, but also practical to construct. We are very pleased with the finished product and love our home. It was easy AND a pleasure to work with Todd. We appreciated his high standard sub contractors and lead men- not only were they professional, they were cheerful to have around! If we were to build again, we would certainly use Todd and his team at Bio-Hab Inc. David and Kay James James Ranch Durango, Colorado

Entryway - large rustic ceramic tile and brown floor entryway idea in Los Angeles with brown walls and a brown front door

Photo: Heather Banks © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic landscaping in Austin.

Cabinets: Dark Ale Tori Maple (Standard) Flooring: Encore Collection Heatherstone Countertop: Caledonia Granite countertops Paint: Grey Matters SW 7066 flat

The layout of the existing apartment needed to be gutted and redesigned. To create an open kitchen and integrate the space into the living area, we removed the old galley kitchen walls. This not only expanded the footprint, but also created a mini foyer space that felt separate. Winner of the Master Design Award Qualified Remodeler Renovation/Design: Paula McDonald Design Build Photo: Mark Boswell

Goals While their home provided them with enough square footage, the original layout caused for many rooms to be underutilized. The closed off kitchen and dining room were disconnected from the other common spaces of the home causing problems with circulation and limited sight-lines. A tucked-away powder room was also inaccessible from the entryway and main living spaces in the house. Our Design Solution We sought out to improve the functionality of this home by opening up walls, relocating rooms, and connecting the entryway to the mudroom. By moving the kitchen into the formerly over-sized family room, it was able to really become the heart of the home with access from all of the other rooms in the house. Meanwhile, the adjacent family room was made into a cozy, comfortable space with updated fireplace and new cathedral style ceiling with skylights. The powder room was relocated to be off of the entry, making it more accessible for guests. A transitional style with rustic accents was used throughout the remodel for a cohesive first floor design. White and black cabinets were complimented with brass hardware and custom wood features, including a hood top and accent wall over the fireplace. Between each room, walls were thickened and archway were put in place, providing the home with even more character.

Modernism and traditionalism are just steps away from each other at this Vienna Virginia pool house. The main house, built by a national homebuilder, draws upon tradition, but the pool house, speaks the language of contemporary minimalism. It presents clean lines and a soaring roofline overhanging tall glass doors and clerestory windows. Great design, careful attention to detail, first-rate materials and impeccable craftsmanship have yielded a spectacular solution for outdoor entertaining. With a fireplace and every conceivable convenience under roof, this pool house might just be the perfect escape for inclement weather as well. Photography by Greg Hadley http://www.greghadleyphotography.com